‘Ex Pows’ endorse Independent Republicans

In a full page ad in today’s Irish News, hundreds of former republican prisoners have put their names to a statement endorsing the independent republican candidates. The statement: (link includes signatures)

Irish Republican Ex-Pows Against the RUC/PSNI & MI5

As Republican activists who served the Republican and Republican Socialist Movements in the armed struggle, we would like to take this opportunity to call upon all Republicans to come out and vote for Independent Republican Candidates of your choice in the Election tomorrow. These candidates are well placed to represent the concerns of grassroots Republicans.
The people’s desire for peace has been cynically exploited. We, the undersigned, have always desired peace. We reject the logic of the proposition that the interests of peace can be in any way served by our young people signing up to join the British Crown forces such as the RUC/PSNI. These forces continue to recruit informers from within our community to spy upon Republicans. To speak frankly, Irish Republicanism is jeopardised by the British-inspired lie that this is required in order to have peace. We view this as a betrayal of everything Republicans fought for.
A broader strategy to rebuild and consolidate the Republican Movement in Ireland has begun. We support open and free debate among Republicans as we face the future and the unfinished struggle to bring about, by peaceful means, a thirty-two country democratic Republic on the island of Ireland.

Echoing in only the way Irish history can, Eamon Phoenix carries this snippet in today’s edition of “On This Day”:

Republican dissidents protest

We have been sent a proclamation on the partition question, signed by a group of leading republicans including George N Count Plunkett, Mary MacSwiney and Brian O’Higgins.
They quote the private letter written by the former British prime minister, Lloyd George, to Sir Edward Carson, dated May 29 1916 in connection with the 1916 partition proposals:
“My dear Carson – We must make it clear that at the end of the provisional period, Ulster does not, whether she likes it or not, merge in the rest of Ireland – Yours truly, D Lloyd George.
PS Show this to Craig.”
“In December 1921”, they add, “representatives of Ireland in London were forced to sign articles of agreement for a treaty under the threat of immediate and terrible war.”
‘‘In the name of the second Dail”, they add, “we repudiate schemes of defence on the Cuban model and we urge the youth to beware of England’s far-flung recruiting wiles.”

(When de Valera established the Fianna Fail Party in 1926 and subsequently entered the Dail, taking the oath of allegiance to the British King in the process, a section of ‘old guard’ republicans remained in a shrunken Sinn Fein abstentionist party.
They included Count George Plunkett, the father of the 1916 executed signatory, Joseph Plunkett, and a former minister in the first Dail; Mary MacSwiney, one of the ‘seagreen incorruptibles’ who had condemned the 1921 treaty as treachery and Brian O’Higgins, a former TD for Clare best known for his popular verse.
As this statement shows, the leaders of anti-treaty Sinn Fein continued to draw their mandate from the second Dail of 1921 and, by 1938, regarded de Valera as having betrayed the republican cause.
These years saw a revival of the IRA which launched a bombing campaign in England in 1939.)

Related

About Rusty Nail

Theres also a good wee write up about the ad on the politics page of the irish news. A very impressive add. They’ll get my vote.

on another note, I heard Mick fealty on the radio this morning. The nolan show. It comes on line about 1pm for anyone who’d want to hear it, its good.

roger

Is that it ?

sms

two things struck me about this ad. (1) the small number of people from Belfast (2) the propensity for nicknames ( nome de guerre?) there is one who even revels in the name of ” the dark”
Is that not scary or not?

Gavan

Roger,

what did you expect?

J Kelly

Sinn Fein will hardly lose any sleep over this list most of them are irps and rira people. With over 15000 republicans who have been through the jails in the past 35 odd years 330 is less than 2%. I can testify 100% that at least one of those who has signed the letter has already voted for Sinn Fein.

circles

Predicted impact on the vote tomorrow??
Hmmm I suspect very little – maybe if they had come out a little earlier they could have built up a head of steam, but on the eve of the election to call for a vote for a diverse cloud of independents that include Franco McGeogh – I would need a bit more convincing.

vote early, vote often!

I can testify 100% that at least one of those who has signed the letter has already voted for Sinn Fein.

carl

Hardly suprising that the inla biys have signed the letter

They have a cigarette empire to protect

afree ireland

I was an active in the republican movement. This is the beginning of the split proper. Its just history repeating itself. I feel let down by Sinn Fein. I was looking at a Sinn Fein poster in Dungiven while the wife was doing a bit of shopping. It had a policeman, a singer and a barman on it. Is this the best an area with strong republican roots has to offer.
I think in this case, peace is a poor compromise for remaining under british rule. I am being asked to co operate with a system which continues to hold Seamus Mullan ( and others) using trumped up charges to keep them off the streets. Interment by parole. These 400 people are right.
Can any body tell me what Martin McGuiness was doing with a MI6 officer in the O Neill arms in toome when he said the war was over?
The fight goes on and when the time is right, i will take part again.

I find your comment that you will need more time to decide before you will be convinced to vote for a dissident candidate somewhat disingenuous. For you have had years to witness the contortions Mr Adams has put his organization through and its membership. Do you feel it is the duty of Republican leaders to act as a recruiting sergeant for the British security forces, do you feel it is the duty of republicans to tout on fellow republicans who are doing no more than they themselves once did.

Do you feel it is possible to build a better world based on bullying, lies and sleight of hand politics and by attempting to censor your republican opponents, let alone Irish journalists. Or by denying ones past and mixing over drinks and canapes with the likes of GW Bush.

If you do go ahead and vote for SF, for whilst I am not suggesting all its candidates have behaved in the above manner its leader certainly has and continues to and these candidates seem to have no problem with such behavior.

I find it very interesting that SF has been attempting howl down the dissidents with crys of offer up an alternative, yet when some of them do, and a demoratic alternative at that. We get posts like yours and one or two others. By the way your silly quip about Franco McGeogh brought back memories, for the first thing I ever had published way back in the very early 1970s was a piece in opposition to those hacks who were claiming the Provos were green Fascists whilst the Sticks were the real thing. If you have a difference with McGeogh by all means argue them through, and I am sure we may agree on some points, but to accuse him of being a Fascist is to lack understanding of what that wretched philosophy entails, your better than that if your posts here are any thing to go by.

sms
It might help you if you were do a bit of homework.

Regards to you both

Northsider

A broader strategy to rebuild and consolidate the Republican Movement in Ireland has begun.

Gerry McGeough. Christopher McWilliams. Anthony McIntyre.

There’s three of the most well-known names on that list – who here thinks that those three could ever sign up to a joint strategy.

Also, without casting too many aspersions, some of the names on that list are associated with organisations steeped in criminal activity (IRPS & RIRA) – therefore can we be blamed if we interpret their opposition to policing as being more to do with protecting criminal empires, rather than freeing Ireland.

I could go on as more names leap out at me, but I won’t as I note how zealous Slugger’s mods have become in recent days (as long as it isn’t directed at SF)

Finally, there are other names on this list who have been sniping at the republican leadership since 1994. They were bolstered by more defections in 1996-1997. Therefore, for over ten years they’ve had an opportunity to come up with a alternative strategy and still we – the Irish people they purport to speak on behalf of – are left with nothing only the ‘not SF’ manifesto.

How much longer would people have to wait for this new ‘strategy’ to reveal itself is anybody’s guess. But pardon my cyncism if I make a prediction on how it all might turn out: splits, recriminations, and even smaller splinters claiming they are the way the truth and the light.

I Wonder

Is that the same C McW who murdered the bar manager in Frames in cold blood after he was thrown out for being drunk and fighting?

Impressive leadership indeed.

afree ireland

Yes, and i am prepared to go along with that, provided its moving in a united ireland direction. Looking back at irish history, there have been many periods of “making room for politics” but just as splits are part of the cycle, violent revolt (however unpalatable) is also a repeat performer.
A couple of toothless cross border talking shops and a dead end stormont is a bad place to stop.
Men didnt die and do time for the tourist board and a health promotion agency. Orange feet will walk the Garvaghy road as part of a deal. Sinn Fein will sell their former comrades to prove their compliance with the PSNI. Looks like Gerry Adams spent too much time with John Hume, as Sinn Fein is slowly becoming a mirror party.

seabhac siÃºlach

“With over 15000 republicans who have been through the jails in the past 35 odd years 330 is less than 2%.”

Well, 15000 names would have probably filled all the pages of the Irish News, so better to have used the 300 most prominent/famous, don’t you think?
You can be sure that if 300 put their names to this then there are multiples of that number in the wings cheering them on. Remember the Bloody Sunday parade in Derry this year?
Very heartening for republicans to see this, other voices filling the republican vacuum left by those pseudo-‘repubicans’, the Provos. None of the republican candidates even need win a seat at these elections (and not winning one should not be seen as failure given the financial resources wielded by the larger parties, amply resourced by the Brit govt with ‘advisers’). They merely need to create a foundation for the future…5-10% of the nationalist vote would be sufficient for this. There is definitely space for a left republican alternative…now that all the larger parties are effectively pro-partitionist parties comfortable with the union.

northsider

For you have had years to witness the contortions Mr Adams has put his organization through and its membership.

And for years the same names have had the chance to stop sniping at Adams week in and week out and put forward an alternative strategy. They failed.

do you feel it is the duty of republicans to tout on fellow republicans who are doing no more than they themselves once did.

And which failed again and again and gain and again. and which will will fail again. SF has fudged the question over whether it would inform on dissidents – however given how infiltrated the RIRA, CIRA et al are, I’m sure they know all about touting.

Do you feel it is possible to build a better world based on bullying, lies and sleight of hand politics and by attempting to censor your republican opponents, let alone Irish journalists.

Which journalists were censored? Is this back to Breen and Clarke again? As for building a better world based on bullying and lies… Are you trying to say that dissdent groups have not engaged in this activity? Tell that to the people of Omagh…

I am not suggesting all its candidates have behaved in the above manner its leader certainly has and continues to and these candidates seem to have no problem with such behavior.

And the leadership of the IRPS, RIRA and ‘let’s sell guns to the LVF’ CIRA are impeccable?

find it very interesting that SF has been attempting howl down the dissidents with crys of offer up an alternative, yet when some of them do, and a demoratic alternative at that.

Let’s hear it then… I’m all ears, we’ve been waiting ten years for it.

BTW – before I get accused of being a SFer on these boards, I’m not. I wouldn’t even class myself as a republican – I am a nationalist who has always been completely anti-violence.

mickhall

BTW – before I get accused of being a SFer on these boards, Iâ€™m not. I wouldnâ€™t even class myself as a republican – I am a nationalist who has always been completely anti-violence.

Posted by northsider

Of course you are old son and I just fell off a christmas tree.

northsider

Of course you are old son and I just fell off a christmas tree.

Then you must have done just that.

seabhac siÃºlach

Northsider:

“Letâ€™s hear it thenâ€¦ Iâ€™m all ears, weâ€™ve been waiting ten years for it. ”

Not exactly difficult…the alternative to going into Stormont and implementing British law in Ireland is not to go into Stormont and therefore hold a bargaining chip for future negotiations. There is scope there to push for super-councils with enhanced cross-border powers at the expense of Stormont. In fact, it has already been talked about at govt. level. Unionism should be deprived of any body of influence in Ireland…that should be a republican objective…not putting them back into power in Stormont. How does it further the national objective by putting the enemies of this objective into executive office? Perhaps the Provos could explain that one?

By the way, Sinn Fein in 1918 did not go into Westminster, although at the time ‘nationalists’ (as you describe yourself) did…
Was that the correct decision for those nationalists? No doubt, a pragmatic, sensible decision at the time but the wrong one…much like the ‘pragmatic’, ‘sensible’ decision to go into that British parliament in Stormont is the wrong one.
If nationalists like yourself had their way, those nationalists of the cuddly anti-violence, let’s-all-hold-hands-and-the-bad-men-will-go-away brigade, then the whole of Ireland would still be in the UK, would have suffered consciption in two world wars, would no doubt be a badly deprived area of it like Wales/Scotland (barely a motorway etc. between them, etc…), and would have been forced into a war in Iraq in 2003, etc, etc…

Bemused

Firstly may I respond to “Carl” and his quip about the Irps having to defend their cigarrette empire, am I living on another planet or is it only myself who is fully aware that it is the Provos who CONTROL the importation of illegal ciggarrettes?? If you don’t believe me ask anyone in East Tyrone, if you want a cheap fag in that neck of the woods you’ll be directed to the OC of the provisionals (Former Army Council).Secondly the advert supporting Peggy O Hara’s campaign: as the advert states it was carried out at short notice and was not exhaustive, can the Shame Feiners not recognise that the majority of former republican prisoners DO NOT AGREE with the SF stance of supporting a Brit Justice system in Ireland, most may stay at home granted but there isn’t many of them putting up posters for Adams this time around.

confused

TO Northsider

You club all dissidents together and link them to that awful atrocity which occurred in Omagh.
There must be a full and independent inquiry into this and I am looking forward to the cotribution from SF.
I hope it is beter than McGuiness effort at the Saville Inquiry when he deiberately witheld information.Honour amongst IRA members was more important than the truth.
I think he is the same person who told people not to give information to garda siochana about Omagh.
What do you think was his reason?

Crataegus

As some of us have been saying there is definitely trouble at Mill for SF. Three points;

1 It is important that these people have electoral success somewhere so that there is a political voice for their views.

2 They have every right to stand, they are no more splitting the vote than SF are.

3 Under STV transfers are important. You can vote for who ever your prefer and then transfer. One question is who would these people transfer to? If SF do not represent their views would any of them consider other parties as suitable for transfers? If they really want to make SF sit up and take notice they should use their transfers and vote for independents, greens anyone but SF. Or perhaps finally to SF if you merely want to make them sweat blood at the count.

I have absolutely no interest in Nationalism or Unionism, but am one of those who feel utterly disappointed by the structures of this myopic GF-STA agreement and can readily understand how many feel deeply let down.

It is utterly irrelevant how I vote tomorrow. Does it matter how many seats SF or the DUP get? NO

Does it really matter if they gain or lose 3 or 4 each. NO

It matters not one jot for anyone but the DUP and SF. For this election is a facile contest for in the end we are left with an executive that will contain SF, DUP, UUP and SDLP and none of us have a clue as to what policies they will introduce when in? Not only that what real power does it have, who controls the money?

This election was at the specific request of the DUP and SF. If you think the agreement stinks then do not vote or transfer to either of these parties . Vote for anyone else. Let’s get a bit of variety in there and let’s split up some of the rotten political empires who have no interests other than their own interests. Let’s send a very clear message to these two parties as to what we think of them.

time will tell

I, along with many people who have voted sf all their lives, will be voting for an independant republician in tomorrows election.

I feel that many on this site have written off these Independant candidates too readily. However, the overall dissatisfaction felt by many towards SF and the hypocraisy displayed by the party and its weak leadership, could indeed bring in many votes for these candidates. only time will tell.

I was heartened to see many ex pows supporting these candidates-these are the men and women who suffered firsthand as a result of ruc/psni actions i.e. through collusion, underhand tactics, internment, harassment, physical and mental abuse, bullying and lies. Was their suffering in vain???

Why did the brave hungerstrikers die??? so that ADams could yet again pander to the demands of the Unionists and sign up for things that these people and many others died and fought all their lives to defend

I have lost all respect for SF and its leadership, in their same way they have lost sight of a United Ireland

nmc

Time Will Tell,

I whole heartedly agree about the independent candidates. Everyone I know who is voting, will be voting for an independent, and I know plenty of people who won’t be voting at all.

Sean

Really funny to see the provos here accusing others of criminality. I am laughing out loud.

Sundays news papers carry reports of two prominent provos in Dublin being slapped with tax demands by the criminal assets bureau. One, a former director of elections for Sinn Fein in Dublin, is facing a demand for euro 750,000 while Mr.Noonan is facing a demand for euro 500,000. They are also trying to take away Mr.Noonans spanish holiday home (complete with swimming pool).

So I’m laughing out loud at the provos calling others criminals.

Red Mist

I am from West Belfast and I personally know of scores of people who will not be voting SF this time round.

Crucially, in many instances they have lost entire family circles of ACTIVE republicans ie. the ones who struggled and did the ground work that gets others elected…you do the math.

This is not an isolated phenomenon. It is being replicated every where.

Some interesting things going on within SF, a party which is apparently not overly concerned at their vote slipping. Handing out letters to named families under the cover of darkness begging for their vote tomorrow. These are going to families who in elections gone past would have been out working to ensure the vote came out, now SF know that they can’t event count on them to vote themselves. First time I have seen this ever.

anti-hypocricy

”Sinn Fein will hardly lose any sleep over this list most of them are irps and rira people. With over 15000 republicans who have been through the jails in the past 35 odd years 330 is less than 2%. I can testify 100% that at least one of those who has signed the letter has already voted for Sinn Fein. ”

Posted by J Kelly on Mar 06, 2007 @ 10:44 AM

What a load of rubbish. In fact there are very few on the list who are IRSP/RIRA. The PSF leadership, and the PSNI/MI5 will be having nightmares over the potential consequences this may have on their future joint project of normalisation and the surrender of republicanism by Adams and Co.

”Also, without casting too many aspersions, some of the names on that list are associated with organisations steeped in criminal activity (IRPS & RIRA) – therefore can we be blamed if we interpret their opposition to policing as being more to do with protecting criminal empires, rather than freeing Ireland.” by northsider

Again more rubbish, there is plenty of evidence on PIRA criminality with weekly reports from ARA and CAB on seizures of personal wealth. I have never heard of any wealthy irps nor of any of them owning buisnesses, holiday homes, foriegn and domestic, or even their own homes. None of them have been targetted by ARA or CAB and I think this fact is indicative of who the real criminals are. To all the PSF muppets-the tide is turning boys.

Aontroim

I’m from Co. Antrim, and outside of Belfast there are only 3 ex-prisoners who have put their name to this advert, which shows you the amount of support they have here.

dave

Seems to be a mixture of Erps, continuity and those who ‘ threw the teddy bear in the corner’ when they were overlooked within the movement

And of course mcintyre!!!

MICKYBRADY

J.KELLY HOW DARE YOU TRY AND SULLY THE NAME OF EX PRISONERS,JUST BECAUSE THEY DONT AGREE WITH THE DIRECTION SINN FEIN HAVE TAKEN OUR STRUGGLE,IT WAS MOSTLY PRISONERS THAT WHEN RELEASED BROUGHT POLITICS TO THEIR AREA,S.NOW WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THESE CERTAIN PRISONERS ARE NOT REAL REPUBLICANS, IRPS CRIMINALS, IM SURE IF THESE PRISONERS HAD BEEN ASKED TO DIE IN PRISON THE MAJORITY WOULD HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO DO SO JUST LIKE THEIR 10 COMRADES IN 81,FUNNY HOW THINGS CHANGE WHEN IT SUITS,AS FOR THE PROVOS NOT INVOLVED IN CRIME,YOUR HAVING ONE GREAT BIG LAUGH,LAUGH ALL YOU WANT ,BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE WAR TO THE BRITS AND SUFFERED IMMENSELY FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE WAR WHEN IT WASNT SO FASHIONABLE OR SAFE

true irishman

If you’re “BRITISH” vote Sinn Fein

If you’re “IRISH” Don’t

Sinn Feinner

I fully understand why they signed the letter of protest in the Irish-news and support their right to do so even though i don’t agree.

I would like to distance myself from people who lower the party image on this forum, namely Henry who should have more sense that what he has displayed today but also northsider but the really offensive comments by Dave who should hang his head in shame

Rory (South Derry)

J.Kelly (& lets be clear he’s not the real John Kelly)

Stop the hypocracy!

The Louts in SF who still call themselves Republicans have robbed, lied, laundered, extorted all there lives!

But setting aside all the above it sounds like the provos are running scarred!

In South Derry they have tried everything from harrassment of people to badmouthing them and people will show their discontent at the ballot box!

Now the comments on Christopher Mc williams sicken me considering the couragous step this individual took to eliminate our old friend “King Rat” while for many years your friends in the PIRA stood back and let another agent of the crown murder our people.

Stick your neck back in all you cowardly Provos and get on with your little Britain Agenda – You are a shame to every dead volunteer who fought and died!

VOTE SINN FEIN – FOR A CONTINUATION OF BRITISH RULE

I’D RATHER FIGHT FOR ANOTHER 800 YEARS!

MICKYBRADY

WELL SAID SINN FEINNER,IM JUST GLAD THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY WHO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ASSAULT ON GOOD MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE SACRIFICE IS UNQUESTIONABLE

Observer

“The Louts in SF who still call themselves Republicans have robbed, lied, laundered, extorted all there lives!”

Even when they were engaged in armed struggle?
Is it only the people who signed the Irish News letter who weren’t involved in crime?

“WELL SAID SINN FEINNER,IM JUST GLAD THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY WHO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ASSAULT ON GOOD MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE SACRIFICE IS UNQUESTIONABLE”

That obviously doesn’t apply to the thousands of republicans who sacrificed a good portion of their lives to the struggle, but support Sinn Fein.

“Stop the hypocracy!”

Indeed!

Some of the comments by anti-SF posters are reminiscent of the staged outrage of unionist politicians of the past. If you are going to disagree then get on with it. Believe me, there is no need for the hysterical bile you are spouting. Not the way to win hearts and minds.

Anti-republican contributers, crowing about the division in republican ranks are like turkeys voting for Christmas.

Can anyone explain how an increased SDLP mandate and a reduced SF one is going to bring a United Ireland closer (assuming that a return to armed struggle has been ruled out)?
I assume that is the objective of those who will not vote or will vote for an anti-SF candidate.

Postal Votes R Us

[b]I can testify 100% that at least one of those who has signed the letter has already voted for Sinn Fein. [/b]

I don’t doubt that; was it a postal ballot? Does s/he know that they have already voted for Sinn Fein?

Rory (South Derry)

Observer

Even when they were engaged in armed struggle?
Is it only the people who signed the Irish News letter who werenâ€™t involved in crime?

What I am simply trying to say is that the Hailos have slipped on us so the saints in PSF should stop throwing stones!

Lets live out this free democratic society that Gerry, Martin & co promised since 1986 and stop persecuting each other!

As for Anti-PSF commentators making statements like the unionists – Give me strengh are the Provos not apologists for the British state now?

Ever after hundreds of years of murder and mayhem.

DK

Uh – oh the BLOCK CAPS brigade are out – armchair generals shouting at the troops who are probably all watching barcelona vs. liverpool.

I can testify 100% that at least one of those who has signed the letter has already voted for Sinn Fein.

Did you sign the letter then, John?

Observer

“What I am simply trying to say is that the Hailos have slipped on us so the saints in PSF should stop throwing stones!”

No. What your doing is denigrating the sacrifice made by thousands of republicans over 35 years of struggle.

“As for Anti-PSF commentators making statements like the unionists – Give me strengh are the Provos not apologists for the British state now?”

Missed the point, haven’t you?

Northsider

I would like to distance myself from people who lower the party image on this forum, namely Henry who should have more sense that what he has displayed today but also northsider

I’ll have to state it yet again as some people read what they want to read and believe what they want to believe.

I am not a member of Sinn Fein. I am not even a republican. But I am a nationalist, and more importantly, a nationalist voter. And I should be able to comment here without others casting aspersions on my character, or my motives, or making unfounded claims as to my political affiliation. I belong to no party – I ordinary Joe Public.

Rory (South Derry)

Observer

Get a life!

I was part of the Volunteer Army and commend every Volunteer who fought the Brits and the Political Parties who Still unlike SF oppose their illegal presence in our Country!

Northsider

Members of PSF continue to take the debate down to that level while colluding with the Crown forces!

Just watched your leader “Tell everyone to speak to the PSNI”!

Observer

“I was part of the Volunteer Army and commend every Volunteer who fought the Brits and the Political Parties who Still unlike SF oppose their illegal presence in our Country!”

Good for you.
Now show the same respect for those who shared that experience but disagree with you on the way forward post war.

Quagmire

Why are you all fighting? Some agree with Adams and Co and some don’t. Lets agree to disagree and move on. Although I have reservations about certain things at the moment I am willing to lend my support to SF for this election, but I refuse to slate other Republicans for their opinions and this should be reciprocated. Show a little respect to one another. We are one of the same.